The gardens of Versailles form the ultimate expression of the French formal garden. Created in the final decades of the 17th century under the command of Louis XIV, they transformed an uncultivated piece of marshland into a landscape that reflected the pomp and magnificence of the royal court. This book provides a visual tour of the gardens. Each statue, fountain and grove has been seperately photographed, appearing with a brief note of its origins and place within the garden as a whole. Incorporating over 200 extracts from contemporary documents, the author describes the historical background and history of the French gardens from Renaissance times to the 18th century.